1985 Mas Amiel - Maury AOC (750ml)

Mas Amiel has long stood as the leading name in Roussillon's sweet wine tradition, its estate rooted in the Agly Valley near the village of Maury. The domaine's history stretches back to the early nineteenth century, and since Olivier Decelle took ownership in 1999, it has grown to roughly 155 hectares of schist and clay-limestone soils. While the estate has since branched into acclaimed dry cuvées, its reputation was built on the patient, old-world craft behind its vin doux naturel, of which this 1985 vintage is a striking example.

Made entirely from Grenache Noir, this wine relies on the traditional mutage method, where alcohol is added during fermentation to halt it and preserve natural sugar. The young wine then spent a full year aging outdoors in glass demijohns, exposed to sun and temperature swings, before moving into century-old oak foudres for a further twenty-seven years of slow, oxidative maturation.

Decades of aging have given this wine a deep, tile-red color with coffee-tinged edges. The nose offers prune, stewed dark fruit, dried fig, and walnut, layered with mocha, toffee, licorice, and toasted spice. Rich and chewy yet still lively, it makes a striking match for blue cheese or a dense chocolate dessert.